Separator



Aug. 21, 1923.

L. J. VANDERVOORT SEPARATOR Filed Nov. 22, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORN EY L. J. VANDERVOORT Aug. 21, 1923.

SEPARAT OR Filed Nov. 22, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WITNESS:

Patented Aug. 21, 1923.

N w a Lors J. vAnnEnvooR-r, or corners, OKLAHOMA.

SEPARATOB.

Application filed November 22, 1921. Serial No. 517,095.

material to be separated is passing in the op posite direction by gravity.

The object is to provide particular means within the walls of the chute for agitating the material by the deflection of air currents, and means carried by some of the projecting surfaces in the chute for receiving particles of goldseparated in the manner described, and additional'means at the bottom' of the chute and in the outlet pipes for receiving the gold thus separated.

A further object is to provide ore retaining devices within the upper endo't the chute, between the hopper and the upper outlet pipe.

A still further object is to provide for the better control of the air currents than has hitherto been possible.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of elements described and claimed, it being understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view of the device in vertical section; Figure 2 is a detail view, in perspective, showinga section of the chute and the rifl'les; Figure 3 is a detail in perspective of the deflecting devices; Figure 4: is a detail in vertical section showing a form inwhich the deflecting devices are without riflles, and the main chute is formed in telescoping sections.

The hopper 10 may be provided with rolls l1 and 12, serving the usual purpose, and with a feed roll lt,a cutoff valve 15 beingcontrolled by a lever 16. I

The chute 18 is provided on one side with a series of brackets 19 having curved under surfaces 20 serving an important purpose in connection with the separation of the placer gold or other material. These brackets may be provided with detachable rifiles 21. The riflies may be mounted on bases 22, Figure 2, and retained by bolts and wing nutsw23. A suitable number of outlet pipes are locatedon the opposite sides of the chute, and enter the walls thereof inthe mannershown, the upper surfaces ot'the pipes being disposed as illustrated with relt'erence to the curved surfaces 20,that p'ortionot' each pipe entering the-chute and located as indicated, being designatedf2 l. Each'pipe also in cludes an approximately vertical portion 25 and a downwardly extending portion 26,

the latter having connection with the portion 25 by means. of the telescoping joint shown at 2'? Each pipe section 1s provided with devices 30't'orprevent1ng the particles of gold from passing outwardly with the dirt and other foreign material, and in the sections 24 and 25, the material retained devices 30 will fall bygravity when the machine is stopped.

Between within the a bracket 32 having a curved surface 33, the latter being opposite'the plainsurtace of the bracket 19. he particular arrangement of the plain and curved surfaces within the chute is important, in that it provides for the agitation of the material by the deflection of the 1 air current in such manner as to produce the best results.

The inlet at the lower end or the chute,

on the side opposite the outlet pipes: 24c, is "designated 35, air under pressurebeing allowed to enter at this point where it' meets the downwardly moving stream of material to be separated. A valve-or dan iper 36 coneach pipe, ,or' the end thereof chute, and the adjacent pipe, is

trols said-inlet, and opposite the inlet is a deflecting surface 37.. The gold box 38 islocated as illustrated with reference to this device 37, and it will'be noted that the entrance to lower pipe 24 is just above the gold box and just below the deflecting device 37.

The upper portion of the chute is pro vided with riflles 40 between the upper pipe 34 and the hopper, and the air current is strong enough to prevent the finest particles of gold from falling below the upper pipe 24:. The major portion of the gold separated falls however to the box 38 at the bottom of the chute.

In the form of the device shown in Figure ithe chute is formed in sections, in order to facilitate transportation, and in this modification the under sides of brackets .19 are provided with plain surfaces 20' instead of curved surfaces. T he ri'tl'les of the brackets 19' are omitted, and it is obvious that riflies may be used or not on partlcular surfaces, as circumstances require. The rif chute each including a series of air deflecting devices, those'of each wall presenting alternate plain and curved surfaces, the curved surfaces of one wall being in staggered relation with reference to those of the other wall, and the plain surfaces of the opposite walls being in staggered relation,

'2. A devic of the class described coinprising a chute, a hopper for discharging material into said chute, a valve controlled inlet at the bottom of thechute for introducing a current of air under pressure, outlet pipes for waste material projecting into the chute at anacute'angle with reference to one side wall thereof, the'pipes extending thence upwardly and thence downwardly at an incline, the pipes forming air deflecting devices in the chute, curved air deflecting devices positioned between the pipes projecting into the chute and deflecting air across the inlet ends of the pipes, air deflecting devices mounted on the side of the chute opposite said pipes and each provided with lower curved surfaces, for deflecting air in a curved path against the deflecting surfaces of the pipes. V

A device of the class described comprising a chute, an inlet being provided at the bottomv of the chute for introducing air under pressure, outlet pipes leading from the chute, and air deflecting devices mounted in the chute opposite the aforesaid pipes andeach including a plain surface and a curved surface the plain and curved surfaces meeting to form an angle at a point spaced from the open end of the aforesaid pipes, within the chute and additional deflecting elements having concave surfaces and positioned in staggered relation with reference to those first named, for deflecting air across the path of a body of material passing through the chute under the action of gravity.

at. A device of the class described, com prising a chute, means controlling the admission of material to the upper end of the chute, means controlling the admission of air under pressure to the lower end of the chute, outlet pipes projecting into the chute at an angle with reference to one wall thereof, said outlet pipes extending upwardly and thence outwardly and thence downwardly, and deflecting devices within said pipes the deflecting devices presenting concave surfaces reversely arranged in staggered relation and acting to deflect air across the'path of a body of material passing through the chute and transversely, of the inlet ends of the pipes. V

5. A device of'the class described, comprising a chute mounted in an approximately vertical position, the chute being pro-V vided with an air inlet at the lower end thereof, a receiving device adjacent to the inlet for material passing through the chute by gravity and not acted upon by the air current, outlet pipes projecting into the chute at an angle and having their entrance portion approximately in the central portion of the chute, and air deflecting devices mounted on one wall of the chute opposite the pipes projecting thereinto, the deflecting devices having angular portions projecting toward the pipe at points spaced. from the open ends thereof and additional deflecting elements having concave surfaces and posi tioned in staggered relation with reference to those first named, for deflecting air. across the path of a. body of material passing through the chute under the action of gravity.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

LOIS J. VANDERVOORT. 

